A fixed, detachable prosthesis is a multiple implant prosthesis that requires a precisely fitting screw-retained framework. An ill-fitting framework typically must be sectioned and soldered or welded to achieve an acceptable fit. Maladies such as bone loss around the implants, screw loosening, screw breakage, and implant and prosthesis fracture have all been attributed to ill-fitting frameworks. When fabricating a screw-retained fixed, detachable restoration one goal is to mitigate the sources of distortion so when the final sum of distortion is paired with chewing, the resultant stress on the implant-prosthesis complex is less than the biologic tolerance, therefore leading to an acceptable outcome with no complications. Since a particular patient's biologic tolerance cannot be-predicted, the goal is to introduce no distortion or as little as possible throughout the process of manufacturing the prosthesis. An ideal fixed, detachable framework sits passively on the implants and does not introduce any stress. While several techniques have been proposed for the fabrication of passively fitting frameworks, these techniques require extra visits, chairtime, and laboratory time and only mitigate rather than eliminate the stresses due to imperfectly matched frameworks and implants.
What is needed and provided by the present invention are new and improved types of passively fitting prosthodontic frameworks and methods for fabricating the frameworks.